Attachment for levers for automatic-playing musical instruments.



N0- 8'75,887. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908 L. BLASIUS. I ATTACHMENT FOR LEVERS FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1907.

LEVIN BLASIUS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR LE'V ERS FOR AUTOMATIC-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUIENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

' Application filed June 12. 1907. Serial No. 378.468-

To all whom it-may concern:

Be it known thatI, LEVIN BLASIUS, a citizenof the United States, residing. at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State-of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachmentsfor Levers for Automatic-Playing Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In this class of musical instruments, say pianos, the instrument is at times operated as an automatic playing instrument and at other times manually and in the ordinary manner.

It is quite desirable that the levers which control the mechanism for automatically operating the instrument should be concealed whan the instrument is to be manually operate My invention consists in certain novel mechanisms'whereby, when the instrument is to be manually operated, these levers may be concealed and yet may be readily brought into operative position when it is desired to operate the piano automatically. Speaking generally, I accomplish this result .by pivoting the levers upon a frame or shelf, which is slidably mounted on the under side of the keyboard ledge or rail, so that the may be moved outward beyond the outer ed e of said keyboard ledge, when in use, an inward beyond the ledge when out of use and it is desired to conceal the same. The rods connecting these levers with the operating mechanism of the automatic layer are connected to the respective levers y means of a loose connection which enables the levers to be moved outward with the frame or shelf and yea maintain operative connection with said ro s.

I will first describethe embodiment of my invention, illustrated in .the accompanying drawings, and then point out the invention in the claims. 7

In .the drawings: Fi ure 1 is a plan view of levers and supporting ame.

itudinal section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 33,

d is the keyboard ledge or shelf. On the under side of this ledge are the guides b,

I which support the frame or shelf a and upon which sai shelf or frame may be moved outwardly beyond the outer edge of the key- Flg. 2 is a lonboard ledge or. inwardly beyond said'edge.

Upon the guides b are .pins d and e, and upon I the frame pins f and g, the pins (1 and f coacting to limit'the outward movement of the frame or shelf 0 and the .pins 2 and g coacting to limit the inward movement of said frame or shelf. Upon the frame or shelf 0 are pivmatic player. As maybe seen, the levers h can move outward and inward with the shelf or frame 0 and yet maintain operative connection with the rods 7c. The outer end of the shelf may be turned up and rounded, as shown at lin Fig. 3, so that, when the shelf is in its inner position, the end of thefshelf forms an ornamental'front for that portion of the instrument.

In Fig. 3 the full lines show the shelf and levers in the inner position, in which position the levers are concealed from view. When it is desired to use the instrument as a selfplaying instrument, the shelf or frame is moved outward to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, when the levers'are in view and in operative position. m is a bridge havin slots 71. equal in number to the levers and o such extent as to limit the movement of the levers to that necessary for their proper movement to o erate.

Having now fillly described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a (piano adapted to be used as a manual an self-playing instrument, in' combination, a shelf or frame slidably mounted, operating levers for the self-playing mechanism pivotally connected to said shelf or frame, rods adapted'to connect said levers and the self-playing mechanism, and a loose connection between said levers and rods, whereby said levers may move with said frame and maintain operative connection with said rods.

2. In a piano adapted to be used as a manual and self-playin instrument, in combination, a key board mounted on the under side of the keyboard ledge a shelf or frame ledge to move inward and outward, operating levers for the self-playing mechanism pivotally connected to said shelf or'frame, rods adapted to connect said levers and the self-playmgmechanism, and a loose connection between said levers and rods, whereby said levers may move wlth sald frame and maintain operative connection with said rods.

3.- In a piano adapt-ed to be used as a.

manual and selfplaying instrument, in combination, a shelf orframe slidably mounted, operating levers for the self-playing mechanism pivotally connected tosaid shelf or frame, rods adapted to connect said levers and the self-playing mechanism, a hook upon each of said levers in which the corre: sponding rod rests, whereby said levers may move with said'fraine and maintain operative connection with said rods.

4. In atpiano adapted to be used as a manual and self-playing instrument, in combi-' nation, ashef or frame slidably mounted, operating levers for the self-playing mechanism pivotally connected to said shelf or' frame, rods adapted to connect said levers and the self-playing mechanism, and a loose connection between said levers and rods,

whereby said levers may move with said frame and maintain operative connection with said rods, the outer end of said frame or shelf having a vertical extension.

5. In a piano adapted to be used as a manual and self-playing instrument, in combiwith ,said rods, and means carried by said shelf or frame for limiting themovement of said levers on their pivots.

6. In a piano adapted to be used as a manual and self-playing instrument, in combination, a movable shelf or frame, operating levers for the self-playin mechanism pivota'lly connected -to said s elf or frame, rods adapted to connect said levers and-the selfplaying mechanism, and a loose connection.

etween said levers and rods, whereby said levers may move with said frame and maintain operative connection with said rods.

.In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on this 10th day of June, 1907. Y

LEVIN BLASIUS.

Witnesses M. M; HAMILTON, A. M. URIAN. 

